# Steve Madden: Steve Madden

- Show: [How I Built This](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this)
- Published: 2018-07-16
- Length: 51m
- Page: https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-07-16-steve-madden-steve-madden

## Summary

Steve Madden, founder of Steve Madden Shoes, recounts how he pivoted from selling platform shoes in high school to launching a brand that bridged the gap between affordable and high-end fashion, eventually reaching a $3 billion valuation. He details his early career at L.J. Simone, his decision to go public with the help of Stratton Oakmont, and the subsequent securities fraud scheme that led to his 31-month prison sentence. Madden explains how he returned to the company in 2005, leveraging his design instincts and hiring strong operational leadership to scale the business while remaining creatively involved.

## Chapters

- [1:10](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-07-16-steve-madden-steve-madden#t=70) Introduction: Steve Madden's early life and shoe store origins
- [7:03](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-07-16-steve-madden-steve-madden#t=423) Working at Toulouse and L.J. Simone: Learning design and sales
- [15:14](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-07-16-steve-madden-steve-madden#t=914) Founding Steve Madden: The first clog and Gen X market
- [20:24](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-07-16-steve-madden-steve-madden#t=1224) Stratton Oakmont IPO and the pump-and-dump scheme
- [29:40](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-07-16-steve-madden-steve-madden#t=1780) Prison sentence: 31 months and personal transformation
- [37:23](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-07-16-steve-madden-steve-madden#t=2243) Return to Steve Madden: Scaling to $3 billion and hiring
- [47:32](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-07-16-steve-madden-steve-madden#t=2852) Postscript: Chris Dimino and the Keyboard Waffle Iron

## Topics

- [Starting a product company](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/starting-a-company)
- [Fundraising & investors](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/fundraising)
- [Industrial & consumer product design](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/industrial-design)
- [Scaling production](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/scaling-production)
- [Leadership, teams & culture](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/topic/leadership-and-culture)

## Most relevant to

companies scaling up

## Mentioned

- Steve Madden (company)
- Stratton Oakmont (company)
- L.J. Simone (company)
- Toulouse (company)
- 9 West (company)
- Manolo Blahnik (product)
- Balenciaga (product)
- Keyboard Waffle Iron (product)
- Smith Corona (product)

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- [Hippy Feet is the coolest company you haven't heard about until now! Michael Mader, CEO](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/people-of-packaging/2025-11-05-hippy-feet-is-the-coolest-company-you-havent-heard-about-until-now-michael-mader) (People of Packaging)
- [026: Developing Shoes with Removable Heels, Tanya Heath of Tanya Heath Paris](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/product-startup/2016-11-08-026-developing-shoes-with-removable-heels-tanya-heath-of-tanya-heath-paris) (Product Startup)
- [#80 From turning down Shark Tank offers to raising $2.7 million for Nopalera with Sandra Velasquez](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/the-startup-cpg-podcast/2023-02-21-80-from-turning-down-shark-tank-offers-to-raising-2-7-million-for-nopalera-with) (The Startup CPG Podcast)
- [Afterschool Podcast, Episode 3  - Robert Brunner](https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/core77-podcast/2013-08-28-afterschool-podcast-episode-3-robert-brunner) (Core77 Podcast)

## Citing this page

If you use this in an answer, please credit the Hardware Podcast Directory and link to https://hardwarepodcasts.com/podcast/how-i-built-this/2018-07-16-steve-madden-steve-madden. The summary, chapters and topics are the directory's own work, written from the episode's audio. The episode itself, its title and its audio belong to How I Built This.